With sturdy walking shoes and big hearts, an expected crowd of 35,000 will gather in Boston on May 7 to walk 20 miles in support of the country’s largest single-day fundraiser for hunger relief.

“I have so much respect for people who come and walk,” said Ellen Parker, executive director of Project Bread, the nonprofit organization that organizes the annual Boston Walk for Hunger. “I think it’s just marvelous. It’s a very diverse crowd with a lot of young people, and it’s really inspirational. The walk is an extraordinary picture of strangers who come out and walk and raise money for people they don’t even know.”

This year’s event will be the 49th Walk for Hunger. Parker hopes it will raise $2.7 million to help fund food pantries, urban garden projects and other programs that help provide for people in need across Massachusetts. Funds from the annual walk help support more than 300 local programs in nearly 100 Massachusetts communities.

An estimated 11 percent of Massachusetts residents face difficulties putting food on the table, a problem that Parker said isn’t always visible.

Sister Diane Vallerio, who will be participating in her 17th walk, is leading a Walk for Hunger team from St. Ignatius Church in Newton’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood.

“When you see thousands of people walking down Beacon Street, it really sends a message,” she said.

Vallerio said she believes in Project Bread’s multi-pronged approach to combating hunger, a strategy that includes traditional food pantries, advocacy and educational programs focused on nutrition and meal preparation.

“The walk is a challenge for me, but some people are challenged every day thinking, ‘What can I feed my family?’” she said.

Somerville resident Mark Sternman first did the walk in 1992 and has raised money for it each year since 1995. This year will be a bit different for him.

Even though Sternman will be more than 1,000 miles away from Boston the day of this year’s walk, that won’t stop him from being involved. Sternman, who will be in Minnesota, is raising funds and plans to do his own walk remotely.

Sporting a Walk for Hunger shirt, the Somerville resident plans to walk more than 10 miles from his hotel in St. Paul to Target Field, where the Red Sox will be taking on the Minnesota Twins. After taking in the baseball game, Sternman will walk the 10-plus miles back to the hotel, completing his own remote Walk for Hunger.

“It will obviously be different this year, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I’m planning on wearing a Walk T-shirt, and I hope some people ask me about it.”

A pair of 8-year-old students from Cambridge Montessori School, Margot Colvard and Maya Foskett, are looking forward to walking in their first Walk for Hunger.

“I am walking because it’s very important for fortunate people to help people who are less fortunate,” said Margot, who will be joined on the walk by her mother, Caroline Berz.

Maya said she wants to help bring attention to an issue that’s often overlooked.

“I don’t think people pay attention to the homeless or hungry, and that’s a problem,” she said.

Berz said the walk will help provide young people with a good lesson in social responsibility.

“I want to teach my children about giving back and taking positive actions to make the world a better place,” the mother said.

At age 14, Sonja Nagle, a student at Brookline’s John Pierce School, will be participating in her first walk.

She’s looking forward to walking after hearing stories from her older brother, who has done the last three annual walks.

“I think it’s important for people to help strengthen their own communities,” she said.

Nagle said people in fortunate positions should do what they can to help others.

“Whenever I want, I can go to my kitchen and get a snack,” she said. “Other people aren’t that fortunate.”

The Walk for Hunger begins and ends at Boston Common, making its way through Allston, Brookline, Newton, Watertown and Cambridge. After road construction shortened the route last year, the walk is back to its original 20-mile route.

Walkers do not need to complete all 20 miles to participate.

The walk has a rolling start from 8-9:30 a.m.

For the second year, there will also be a 5K run, which begins at 7 a.m. at Boston Common.

To register for the May 7 walk or 5K, visit www.projectbread.org/walk.